Envelop.



E. N. TODD.

ENVELOP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. as, 1913.

LW8AQ% Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

amvaM l oa THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOm-Ll 1H0 WASHINGTUN, D. C.

E. N. TODD.

BNVELOP.

APPLICATION IILED NOV. 26, 1913.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2 wi/lmwoeo ax HE NORRIS PETERS c0, PHUIU LITHO., wAsHuvu IDN. D. r

l TE ELBEB'I N. TODD, OF CRISFIELIJ, MARYLAND.

ENVELOP.

Application filed November 26, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELBERT N. TODD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crisfield, in the county of Somerset and State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Envelops, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to stationary, and has for an object to provide an envelop of a simple and durable construction and which, when once sealed, can not be readily unsealed or tampered with without destroying or mutilating the envelop or in some manner giving evidence that the contents of the envelop have been fraudulently tampered with.

The invention contemplates, among other features, an envelop which is preferably formed of a blank or single piece of material bent to provide suitable flaps and locking means, whereby the single piece of material can be so folded and arranged as to securely inclose the contents therein.

In the further disclosure of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view of the blank from which the envelop is formed; Fig. 2 is a view showing the manner of folding the guard flaps; Fig. 3 is a view showing the back flap in folded position, with the locking members also arranged in folded position on the locking tongues; Fig. 4 is a view showing the side flaps folded; Fig. 5 is a rear view of the envelop showing the same folded and sealed; Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 66 in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 7-7 in Fig. 5; and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front elevation, with parts broken away to disclose the underlying structure, showing the manner of securing the members of the locking tongue in locking position.

Referring more particularly to the views, I disclose an envelop 10 preferably formed of a blank 11 consisting of a single piece of material such as paper, with the said blank formed to provide a front 12, and back 18 carried on the lower edge of the front 12, with a weakened line 14 formed at the juncture of the front and back. The front 12 also has formed therewith a top 15 in the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 5, 1915.

Serial No. 803,286.

nature of a flap or foldable sealing member and which is foldable relatively to the front 12 by forming a weakened line 16 at the juncture of the top 15 with the front 12. Side flaps 17 are carried by the front 12 and are foldable relatively to the front by forming suitable weakened lines 18 at the junctures of the side flaps with the front, the said flaps being foldable upon the rear face of the front, as will be apparent by re ferring to the views. The side flaps each have an inclined edge 19 constituting a sealing edge and which is preferably coated with glue and each side flap, furthermore, is provided with a horizontal slot 20.

The back 13 has a plurality of horizontal slots 21 and when the back has been folded upon the rear of the front 1.2 and the side flaps 17 have been folded upon the rear of the back 13 to lie in the rear of the front 12 the slots 20 of the side flaps will register with the slots 21 of the back. The back 13 has integral guard flaps 22 on the side edges thereof, the said guard flaps each consisting of a body portion 23 formed at the juncture of the guard flap with the back 13 and at which point there is provided a weakened line 24 so that the guard flaps can be readily folded upon the back. The body portion of each guard flap furthermore is preferably coated with glue and integral with the body portion of each guard flap is an ear 25 having its free edge 26 preferably coated with glue or some other mucilaginous substance, with the glue or mucilaginous substance on the body portion 23 spaced from the glue or mucilaginous substance on the free edge of the ear 25 so that when the guard flaps are folded upon the front face of the back 13 the glue on the body portion of each guard flap, together with the glue on the free edge of each car, will secure the guard flaps to the front face of the back so that the ears and those portions of the ears having no glue thereon will lie immediately behind and form guards for the slots 21 in the back as well as for the slots 20 in the side flaps and which register with the slots 21 after the back has been folded on to the front and the side flaps folded on to the back.

The top 15 has a plurality of relatively spaced similar tongues 25, each tongue being preferably provided with a series of locking members 28 which are folded transversely to the tongues so that when the tongues are passed through the registering slots 20 and 21 the said locking members 28 will hold the tongues in locked engagement with the back 13 and side flaps 17 to prevent tampering With the completed envelop and holding the same sealed to prevent accidental removal of the contents thereof.

In the operation of folding the envelop described, the guard flaps 22 are first folded upon the back 13 to lie in front of the slots 21 and the said guard flaps are preferably sealed by glue or mucilaginous substance, described, to the front face of the back, the said back being then folded along the weakened line 14 to lie against the rear face of the front, with the guard flaps lying between the back and front. The side flaps 17 are then folded along the weakened lines 18 to lie against the rear face of the back and are preferably sealed thereto, it being thus seen that the slots 20 will register with the slots 21 and the envelop will then be so formed as to receive the contents prior to locking the envelop to prevent tampering with the contents or the accidental removal thereof. Now after the prospective contents of the envelop have been placed therein, the top 15 is folded backwardly upon the side flaps 17 and the tongues 27 are passed through the registering slots 20 and 21 so that the locking members 28 of the tongues will engage the edges of the back and side flaps forming the slots 20 and 21 and prevent disengagement of the tongues with the back and side flaps so that the envelop, after being once sealed, cannot be opened by persons endeavoring to tamper with the contents thereof.

It should be particularly noted that in forming the envelop the side flaps 17 will be on the outside of the back 13 so that the in clined edges 19 of the side flaps will lie wholly within the plane of the back, whereas the straight portions or straight free edges of the side flaps will be substantially cov ered by the top 15. By having the side flaps on the outside of the back, there is, furthermore, provided a more efficient seal along the side edges of the envelop than there would be provided if the side flaps were on the inside of the back, for the reason that the side flaps, when folded upon the back, cover its vertical edges to form the mentioned seal.

The locking members 28 formed on the tongues 25 are preferably in sets, one set being indicated by the numeral 28 and the other by the numeral 28". Now referring to Fig. 8 it will be seen that when the envelop is closed and sealed the sets of locking members 28 will be locked against outward movement through the slots of the back and side flaps and the sets of locking members :28 will engage and be locked against movement by abutting against similar edges of the guard flaps 22. Thus, there is provided a double locking means, in that the sets of locking members 28" will engage the back at the point of formation of the slots therein, whereas the members 28 will engage the guard flaps along their lower edges.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

As a new article of manufacture, an envelop formed of a blank providing a front, a back having a plurality of slots, and a top, the said back being foldable along a weakened line at its juncture with the front and the said top being foldable along a weakened line at its juncture with the front, guard flaps formed with the back and foldable thereon to lie in the rear of the slots in the back, side flaps foldable on to the rear face of the back, with the slots in the side flaps registering with the slots in the said back, locking tongues formed with the top and adapted to pass through registering slots and have their free ends lying between the said back and the said guard flaps when the said top is folded rearwardly over the said back and said side flaps, and opposed extensions on the locking tongues and foldable thereon whereby the locking tongues can be passed through the registering slots, said extensions being adapted to spread out and prevent removal of the tongues from the said registering slots, said guard flaps having their inner and free edges secured to the inner face of the back whereby the tongues will be prevented from contact with the contents of the envelop body.

In testimony whereof I atIiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELBERT N. TODD.

WVitnesses:

F. A. HOSTER, F. FOSTER Tom).

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington. D. C. 

